The Applicant Support Program: Why This Could Be Your Gateway Into ICANN’s Next Round

• Sep 9 2025
• by The it.com Domains Team

When ICANN announced a new round of gTLD applications, the excitement was quickly tempered by a familiar reality: cost. Launching a new domain extension requires serious investment, from the $227,000 evaluation fee to the technical and legal expertise needed to run a registry. For companies in developing economies, small businesses, and nonprofits, that price tag often shuts the door before the conversation starts. With applications closing on 19 November 2025, the Applicant Support Program (ASP) could be the critical opening for those who need it most.

It’s not charity: it’s a strategic effort to make the Internet’s naming system more inclusive, more diverse, and more representative of the world we actually live in.

Why the ASP Exists

The first round of new gTLDs in 2012 proved two things:

• There’s a huge global interest in creating new extensions.
• Without support, the playing field heavily favours wealthy corporations and well-funded registries.

In practical terms, most applications in the first round came from major brands and well-funded investors, with far fewer from developing regions. The ASP was created to change that by lowering financial and technical hurdles, giving organizations in developing economies the chance to actively shape the Internet’s namespace rather than simply take part in it.

What the ASP Offers

If you qualify, the support is substantial:

• Up to 85% off evaluation fees. Instead of $227,000, you could look at a fraction of that cost.
• Bid credits in contention sets give you a better chance if someone else applies for the same string.
• Lower ongoing fees to ICANN once your registry is live.
• Pro bono experts, legal, business, and technical advisors who volunteer their time to guide you.
• Practical resources like guides, checklists, and videos.
• A real human Applicant Counselor to help you navigate the maze.

This isn’t about giving anyone a free ride; it’s about enabling serious players with limited resources to stand a fighting chance.

Why It Matters for Developing Economies

For companies in developing economies, the ASP could be transformative.

• Market positioning: A new gTLD can put your country, culture, or industry on the global stage.
• Economic empowerment: Operating a registry creates jobs, skills, and local expertise that ripple far beyond the initial application.
• Cultural preservation: Communities can protect and promote their language, heritage, or identity online, instead of letting outsiders commercialise it.
• Level playing field: The program acknowledges that innovation doesn’t just come from Silicon Valley or multinational corporations.

If you’ve ever looked at the domain space and thought, “We could do this, if only we had the resources,” ASP is built for you.

Deadlines You Can’t Miss

As mentioned earlier, the ASP application window is open and runs until the 19 November 2025 deadline.

Why act now instead of waiting until next year?

• The Draft Applicant Guidebook (AGB): the rulebook for this round, is open for public comments until July 2025 and will be finalised by December 2025. Getting familiar now means you’ll be ready when the rules are locked.
• Applications for new gTLDs are expected to open in April 2026. To be ready, you must know well before then whether you qualify for ASP.
• There is no guarantee this kind of support will be offered again in future rounds.

How to Get Started

• Check eligibility. Review the official ASP Handbook and confirm your organisation meets the criteria.
• Apply before the November 19, 2025, deadline. Don’t assume you’ll have time later; preparation takes months.
• Use the resources. Tap into training materials, FAQs, and guides.
• Start building your case. Whether your vision is cultural, economic, or community-driven, be ready to show why your application matters.
• Follow ICANN updates. Bookmark the New gTLD Program site and check regularly for updates on timelines and processes.

The Applicant Support Program is more than a discount; it’s a door into the global Internet economy. For companies in developing economies, it’s a chance to lead, not follow.

If you believe your organisation has something meaningful to contribute, don’t let cost hold you back. Apply for the ASP before the deadline and confidently enter the April 2026 application window with momentum.

Because in the world of domains, waiting means watching someone else claim the space you could have built yourself.

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